FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 14, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | PubDef-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | Public relations officer Jessie Seyfer (415) 851-2212
**MEDIA ADVISORY**
Asm. Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) to Introduce State Bill to Ease Financial Hardship of Jury Service, Increase Racial and Economic Diversity of Juries
Be The Jury CA (AB 881) would expand San Francisco’s successful Be The Jury program statewide, and raise daily pay to $100 for low-to-moderate-income jurors in criminal cases.
WHAT: A press conference announcing a new bill, Be The Jury CA (AB 881), authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), which would raise juror pay in criminal cases from $15 to $100 per day for low-to-moderate-income jurors to ensure that all Californians have access to a jury of their peers as promised by the U.S. Constitution. Be The Jury CA would expand San Francisco’s successful Be The Jury pilot program statewide to assist jurors across the state of California, and enjoys support from both prosecutors and public defenders.
WHEN: Wednesday, February 15, 2023 starting at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Steps of San Francisco Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant Street.
WHO:
- Assemblymember Phil Ting, author of Be The Jury CA
- San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju
- San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins
- San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros
- Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods
Note: A juror who participated in San Francisco’s Be The Jury program will be available to speak to reporters about his experience.
We encourage all press to join us in person and to set up any cameras and microphones by 9:45 a.m. We also will be livestreaming at https://www.facebook.com/sfpublicdefender/videos
